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Donald J. Trump will be attending the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, marking his first international trip since the recent election. This event signifies a shift in focus from the Biden presidency for global leaders.
Written by Maggie Haberman
Experienced political journalist
President-elect Donald J. Trump is planning to visit France this Saturday for the reopening of the Notre-Dame Cathedral, which was damaged by a fire five years ago. This will be his first trip abroad since the recent election, and it signifies a shift in focus away from the Biden administration by global leaders.
Donald Trump revealed on his social media app, Truth Social, that he will be visiting the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral. He expressed gratitude towards French President Emmanuel Macron for overseeing the restoration of the cathedral to its former glory and beyond. Trump described the building as magnificent and historic.
"This day will be memorable for everyone!" he expressed in writing.
The journey has been planned for a few days, as reported by individuals familiar with the arrangements. There has been at least one phone call between Mr. Trump and Mr. Macron, as mentioned by one of the sources.
It is anticipated that President Biden will not be present at the reopening event, but Dr. Jill Biden, the first lady, is expected to attend based on information from a source who was briefed.
Since winning a second term by defeating Vice President Kamala Harris, who took President Biden’s place on the Democratic ticket, Mr. Trump has spent most of his time at Mar-a-Lago, his private club and residence in Palm Beach, Florida.
The announcement of the trip was somewhat expected. Mr. Trump enjoys elaborate ceremonies and impressive construction sites, especially those with historical significance. This trip will also be his reintroduction to international affairs.
However, this situation is also the most recent development in a tense relationship with European partners, especially with Mr. Macron.
The French president, who is dealing with unrest within his own country due to opposition from both the far-right and far-left, praised President Trump at the beginning of his presidency. Macron extended an invitation for Trump to join in France’s Bastille Day festivities in 2017, and Trump accepted the invitation enthusiastically.
The relationship between Macron and Trump turned bad in 2018 when Macron supported the idea of a European military defense independent of the United States, to protect against Russia and China. This clashed with Trump’s nationalist beliefs, especially as far-right populists, who tended to support Trump, were gaining power in France and other parts of Europe.
In August 2022, the FBI conducted a search at Mar-a-Lago looking for confidential documents that were not supposed to be there. During the search, federal agents found information connected to Mr. Macron among the items they seized from the property.
Maggie Haberman is an experienced political journalist covering the 2024 presidential campaign, as well as other local elections and investigations involving ex-President Donald J. Trump. For further information on Maggie Haberman, please refer to her biography.
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